Dare to Knock Me Down
by KeepMovingForward
Summary: This isn't my home. This isn't me. What am I doing here? This wasn't part of the plan. I'm an American, I should be back in wine country, where I grew up. I should be living my life. But instead I'm here, just trying to help these people heal.
1. American Girl

**Author's Note: So I barely have this story planned out and we're just gonna wing it. Stick with me here!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.**

Vienna: 

I looked out of the bright expanse of land the train was crossing. I had to admit it was amazing, but nothing compared to back home. _What am I doing? _I asked myself. _I don't owe this people anything. _It was true, I had come all the way here from America on a request from their Headmistress. Apparently the school was having a hard time healing after their war. The idea was I would be a foreign exchange student who wouldn't have a house and I would try to promote house unity among the students. At first I had said no, but my parents had told me it would be a great distraction after all that had happened to me. Finally, I had agreed.

"Is the compartment taken?" I looked up carefully.

Before me stood eight people, all war heroes or whatever. I shook my head. They hurried into the compartment before slamming the door behind them. I looked up again to find them all staring at me. I knew I must look strange with my dangling American flag earrings and bullet shaped locket, along with my blond hair tied back with a red bow. Also along with the fact that while they were all dressed in school robes when I was wearing a white shirt that had my softball team logo on it, dark wash jeans, and red flip flops.

"Find something amusing?" I snapped menacingly.

They shook their heads. I glared at each one of them in turn.

"Hello, there." One of them finally spoke up.

I surveyed him closely. "Who are you?" I finally asked.

They all looked at me in disbelief.

"Surely you've heard of Harry Potter." Said the red-headed girl who was sitting next to him.

I thought for a long moment. "Doesn't ring a bell."

"War hero, defeated Lord Voldemort?" She tried again.

I shook my head no.

"Everyone has heard of him." A blond headed boy remarked looking surprised.

"Sounds uninteresting." I said beginning to flip open my novel.

"You like to read?" The brunette asked.

"Yes." Was my short reply.

"What kinds of books?" Was her next question.

"Mainly war novels, but historical books are just as good." I replied stiffly.

"Pearl Harbor?" She said reading off the title. "What is that about?"

Now it was my turn to be shocked.

"You've never heard of Pearl Harbor?"

"Isn't it American or something?" Someone else chirped in.

"It's a truly amazing story." I sighed. That seemed to generate their interest. "Well you see during World War II…"

When I had finished they all sat in silence, absorbing everything I had just told them.

"Wow…so it that were you're from?"

I rolled my eyes while I played with my necklace.

"Of course it is!" I exclaimed.

"Then why are you here?" The brunette asked me.

I didn't like her very much to be quite honest. She asked way too many questions.

"I can't tell you." I said turning a page in my book while propping up my feet.

"Why not?" She asked again.

"Official business." I snapped.

"What kind of official business?" She prodded.

Didn't the girl ever take a hint?

"It doesn't involve you so I'm not going to tell you." Annoyed I slammed my book shut.

That shut her up.

After a few minutes of tense silence the boy named Harry asked, "So what's your name, America?"

A couple people laughed. I huffed and looked up.

"Vienna." I told him.

"Just Vienna?" He asked confused.

"If I told you anything more, I'd have to kill you." I warned. "Not that I wouldn't mind."

A couple more people laughed. I smirked, quite pleased with myself.

"So what part of America are you from?" The red-headed guy asked.

"I can't tell you exactly, all I'm aloud to say is wine country."

"Isn't that what your name means?" The brunette asked speaking up again.

"Yes, I was named after my homeland and for my father's mother." As an afterthought I added, "She was an amazing person and nurse too."

"She sounds wonderful." A raven-haired girl said, obviously trying to make peace.

"Anything else you can tell us?" The Italian looking boy asked.

I was sick of all these questions.

"I think that is enough for now." I said with a sense of finality.

"Americans are so stubborn." The blond-headed boy muttered.

My head snapped up at the comment.

"We might be stubborn but we have lost so much, more than you would understand." I glared, daring him to talk back.

"We've lost more these past years than you ever have." The boy snapped.

"You know nothing about me or any other American, so why don't you just shut it?" I replied sharply.

The person next to me rested their hand on top of mine, I pulled away.

"Please excuse me." I said grabbing my purse before escaping out of the apartment.

X0x0x0x0x

Later that night as we sat around the long tables waiting for the feast to begin McGonagall asked me to stand. I did slowly.

"This is Vienna. She's come all the way here from America to attend our school and help us after the war. Please give her a warm welcome." McGonagall said as she introduced me.

During her speech my cell phone rang in my pocket. I slowly slid it out and checked the number.

"Excuse me for just a moment." I said holding putting the phone to my ear and hurrying out of the Great Hall.

"Vienna?" The voice asked frantically.

"Yes? Who is this?"

"Chelsea." The voice replied.

"Chelsea? Is something wrong?"

"Yes. I'm sorry to inform you that…that my brother…" She began to choke on her words.

"Oh, Chelsea." I sighed. "What is it?"

She sniffled.

"He's missing. Miles is missing."

"What do you mean…missing?"

"The military just informed us…he's MIA."

I took a sharp breath. "That's not possible."

I closed my eyes tightly and opened them, hoping everything would disappear. But I knew that wouldn't happen. Chelsea was bawling on the other end of the phone.

"I just wanted to let you know…he really loved you. There's a letter he wanted me to give to you if anything happened to him. I sent it by owl as soon as I found out. Oh gosh, Vienna, I'm so sorry!" She exclaimed trying to pull herself together.

I was crying now too. "How long have you known?" Was my reply.

"A few hours, I just couldn't work up the courage to call you. I didn't want to tell you…it was like, if I did it would actually be real. Not the dream I was hoping it would be."

"I should be there right now," I said after a few minutes. "I should be with you and your family. I should have been there when you received the letter. I should have written more often, I should have…"

"Oh Vienna! This isn't your fault and you know how the mail is. It seems like no matter how much you write you don't get a quick reply."

"I know it's just that…I miss him so much."

"I do too, Vienna."

"He always wanted to fly." I said laughing at the memory of the first time he told me. He'd acted like a small child, showing the motions with his hands and even making noises to go along. "That's all he'd ever wanted, to fly and to fight."

"I know Vienna. He was amazing at both, and if I know him he hasn't given up yet."

"He never was one to go down without a fight."

"Remember that, Vienna. Always remember that."

"Why?"

"Because you will need to one day. Trust me."

I nodded even though she couldn't see me, then hung up. I tilted my head towards the sky and looked up at the strange ceiling. _This isn't my home. This isn't me. What am I doing here? This wasn't part of the plan. _


	2. Your Sorry Butts

**Author's Note: I got such wonderful reviews from a couple different people and I just couldn't wait to write this! Maximumfuruba-ness review sparked a great idea and I've decided to run with it! So I'm going to say thank you again for that one!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter**.

Harry: 

I had never met someone so different. And I mean that in a good way. Vienna was like your typical wizard girl, she was different. Maybe it was just her pride or the way she acted. It was as if nothing you said would ever change her mind, as if she was stronger than everyone else. Of what I had noticed so far, those were her best qualities.

I remember the day that I really noticed her. We'd been back at Hogwarts for about a month and after the train ride most Gryffindors hadn't spoken to her much. She preferred the Slytherin's over us it seemed.

"Vienna, you're late." Professor Slughorn snapped.

She looked at him carefully. Once again she wasn't in her school robes, but dressed in white jeans with a dark blue top along with red flats. This time though her blond hair hung down to her shoulders and her ice cold blue eyes made the class shiver. Like usual she had in dangling American flag earrings and a bullet shaped locket hung around her neck.

She took her seat without looking at the teacher or even trying to give an excuse.

"Not in school robes I see." The Professor continued.

She looked up then before standing, daring him to challenge her. The Professor went on.

"That is highly unacceptable young lady-"

"Just stop it!" She screamed, her southern accent thick with rage.

"Pardon me?" The Professor looked outraged.

She looked horrified now.

"Just stop it." She said again. "You want a good reason for why I am late and not in school robes, am I right?"

The Professor glared at her, waiting impatiently.

"I'm not a British wizard and I'm not your student." She snapped before sweeping up her belongings and storming out of the room.

I stared after her. That girl was going to be a handful one day.

X0x0x0x0x

Later that day at lunch a few Gryffindor girls were outraged at the way she had treated the only Slytherin favoring professor that had ever been nice to their house. I overheard their plotting to embarrass her as she left lunch. My stomach gave a jolt. Didn't they see what almost all the guys at the school did? Their next comment was my answer. They were jealous of the attention she got from all the boys. Typical.

I watched her carefully, trying to catch her eye and give her a fare warning but all my attempts failed.

"Stop staring at her." Ginny snapped. She had been very unhappy since Vienna had showed up.

"I wasn't staring." I shot back.

"Yes you were."

I was quiet after that.

I watched as Vienna stood up from her seat at the Slytherin table, where she sat when not sitting with the Hufflepuffs, who loved to listen to her stories about her homeland. She carefully placed her bag over her shoulder before quietly making her way towards the door. A few girls jumped in her path.

"Excuse me." She said with a look of obvious disgust.

"Where do you think you're going, Wine Girl?" One of them asked, raising their voice.

She seemed to catch on then. She shifted her wait a little bit until she stood in a more comfortable position before smirking at them.

"Oh I don't know. Out the doors I suppose?" She asked them.

Well that backfired. The girls were speech less.

"Why are you here anyway?" One girl asked, trying to recover from the obvious burn.

"You want to know the real reason?" She asked them.

They nodded.

"Want don't I tell all of you?" She suggested loudly. "I came here to help out your sorry butts."

She left the room shortly after that.


	3. A Change of Heart

Author's Note: It's been a while. My main excuse is just being busy…it's not much but at least it's something. Merry Christmas to you all!

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Vienna: 

I stormed out of the Great Hall, furious. Those girls were infuriating! I thought back home girls could be rude, but never had they confronted someone in front of everyone in such a condescending way! I wanted revenge though I knew that I couldn't take any. I was here to help these people heal, and so far I hadn't been fulfilling my role very well. Now, now was the time to act. I had to start now, the faster I did this the sooner I got home.

At this moment in time there was nothing more I wanted than to be home, standing in the middle of my father's fields. Looking up at the night sky from in between the two willow trees where I always sat with Miles. How I missed him. How his memories haunted me each night, causing me to cry myself to sleep.

Life just wasn't fair, and now it seemed, I had run out of miracles.

So now, I was going to have to make them happen myself.

I ran out onto the middle of the school's grounds. The stars weren't the same here, it just wasn't the farm. Yet, in a different way they were still just as beautiful. Even now, even here, they still shone as bright as before. This was still the countryside. On this dark night, when all was quiet, they still seemed to sing their wonderful song. It seemed that no matter how bad the situation was, the stars would always be up there, promising me better times.

Knowing that I felt better, stronger. It was like my father had always said, men can take everything from you. They can take your home, your farm, your cloths, your money, your entire life. They can strip away your pride, your future, your dreams, your everything. Man can kill your hope, bury it in a pile of fear. Man can break you until you cannot be broken. But man will never take your strength, so as long as the stars shine in the sky your strength will never waver.

He had said this to me every night for as long as I could remember. The speech was always followed by the same words, drawn out to emphasize their point.

"_You're a good daughter, Vienna. You are strong, stronger than I shall ever be. For you have a different kind of strength than most people have. You are country strong. In more ways than one might think." _

I would never forget those words. They had been drilled into my head, burned into my heart, and etched into my soul. The very words had come from the man I probably admired most in the world. One year, he had even had the words engraved into my bullet shaped locket, so instead of pictures, I had the most inspiring thing ever. Words, words from my father. With his name etched onto the back of the locket followed by _I love you. _

When I had worked up enough courage, I had asked him about the locket.

"_Vienna," He said to me. "when you were young you always reminded me of a bullet. You whizzed around like one, your were quick like one, you were even hurtful at times like one. But you were in a way, always better than a bullet because you loved. You loved not only me, but your mother, the fields, the animals. You cared, you cared like no one had before, and you were strong, stronger than anyone I had ever known had been before. You were like a bullet because your worked your way into someone's heart and lodged yourself in there. I mean that in a good way." _

I knew my dad could come up with better metaphors, but I loved it all the same. From that day on I always wore the locket. It was a reminder of better times, and of worse. I wouldn't take it off for anyone or anything. I even wore it to my mother's funeral, tucked under my dress so no one would see it.

The locket never failed me either, and it helped me through the rough moments after she had gone. It helped me through the death of my best friend, through Mile's deployment. Now, I knew it would help me through this new period of rough times. I knew it would be hard, but with the locket it was as if my father was right next to me, not what seemed like a million miles away.

So now as I stood under the stars I played with the chain around my neck.

"I love you Daddy, you too Mother." I whispered into the wind, which seemed to carry my words all the way back to the states. Somehow, I felt as if my father knew in that moment what I was doing. It was in that moment I knew what I had to do.

"Vienna?" Came a voice from behind me.

My peaceful moment had been disturbed. I tried not to snap.

"Yes?" I asked quietly as I turned around.

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay." The boy, who I recognized as Harry, said to me.

"I'm fine." I replied even quieter than before.

He seemed to barely catch the words. He only replied with an "ok" and an "if your sure."

I nodded several times and gave him a reassuring smile.

"Just don't worry about anything they said, it was wrong of them." He told me.

"Trust me," I said laughing a little. "worrying is not on my list of top priorities."

He laughed a little too.

"Sounds good to me." He said before bidding me goodnight and returning to the castle.

Once more I looked at the stars. The wind picked up again and seemed to whisper reassuringly, _it will be alright_. I grasped the locket one more time, because I knew it would be.

X0x0x0x0x0x0x0

The next morning I woke up early and practically ran through the corridors the Headmistress's office. I knocked loudly several times. I heard a huff before the familiar voice called "come in!" So I did.

"Professor!" I called barging into the room.

"Vienna, is that you?" The Professor called back.

I hurried inside quickly to where I found the old Headmistress sitting behind her desk.

"I have to speak to you about something." I spoke urgently.

"What is it?" The Headmistress had dark circles under her eyes and she seemed a lot more stressed than usual.

"I know how I can help," I said quickly. "so tonight I need you to call a last minute assembly in the Great Hall. I will need a podium, that is all. Do not tell the students why."

"Why are you requesting this so suddenly?" The Headmistress asked confused.

"I cannot explain." I told her. "I only ask that you trust me."

The Headmistress took what seemed like hours to answer.

"Fine," She sighed unhappily. "I am warning you though, do not make any mistakes. You have made enough already."

"I understand, Headmistress." I replied quietly.

"Off with you then." She said waving her hand and sinking a little more into her chair.

I ran back to my quarters. I threw things into piles until I found the exact thing I was looking for. The clothing for this even had to be simple, not my usual outstands patriotic clothing.

What I had found was my favorite black dress, the one I had worn to my mother's funeral, I set it aside along with my black flats. I searched through my jewelry box until I found my simple, yet elegant gold earrings and my second favorite necklace. It wasn't much, but it had been a present from my mother. Though I didn't wear it like I did the locket, I always kept it tucked away in a safe place and made sure it shined just like it had the first time I had seen it.

It was a round, pure gold circle with two words etched into it. _Country Strong. _Was all it said. Nothing else, the words though, were etched with silver so they stood out against the gold.

It was perfect, because if I was going to help these people heal I would need all the strength I could muster.


	4. We All Bleed Red

**Author's Note: I just wanted to say that I have poured possibly my heart and soul along with my mind into this story, so I hope you are enjoying it. Every review means a lot. Thanks to my readers for all their support, they are amazing. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.**

Harry: 

Early the next morning during breakfast McGonagall stood up to speak. It was surprising she was choosing this time of day, since many students where still half asleep. One Gryffindor way down the table had even fallen asleep into his food. You have to love mornings.

"Students!" She called out.

Everyone, well everyone who was awake that is, snapped to attention.

"Students," She said again, quieter this time. "I am to inform you that there will be an assembly in the Great Hall tonight. All students are required to attend."

A few hundred groans littered the air.

"But it's Friday!" Someone shouted out.

"Yes, I am aware of what day it is, Mr. Malfoy." McGonagall snapped.

Figures he would say such a thing.

I then looked over towards the Slytherin table to see Vienna, sitting around with her friends, smirking. It had to be her doing. Though the bigger question was, why would she want McGonagall to call an assembly?

Vienna: 

Even though tonight was all my doing, I wasn't going to let any of the other students catch on. As usual I had on my regular clothing. Honestly, I hated the uniform rule. At my wizarding school we had been aloud to wear our own cloths. I wasn't even going to pretend to follow it.

Shortly after McGonagall's announcement I hurried out of the Great Hall, a little bounce in my step. As I shuffled down the hallway I could hear footsteps behind me. I whipped around, coming face to face with a Slytherin, and none other than Draco Malfoy.

"Vienna, isn't it?" He asked me.

I glared at him for a good hard moment.

"If it concerns you than yes." I replied shortly.

"Well you see, Vienna," He said drawing my name out. "I know your behind tonight. So whatever it is your planning…"

He stopped in the middle of his sentence, staring off into space.

"Go on!" I snapped loudly.

He glared at me before continuing. "So whatever you are planning needs to stop."

I laughed in his face.

"I'm sorry, no can do."

I turned to walk away but he grabbed my arm.

"Well make it possible. I don't care how, just do it." He growled.

"Or what?" I asked, slightly amused.

He looked dumbfounded for a moment. I laughed again, a little more coldly this time.

"Next time," I said patting him on the shoulder. "take it up with someone who cares."

With that I turned and bounced away. I heard him cursing me as I did so. It just amused me further.

When I reached potions I sat down in my seat a little farther away from everyone else. I had no interest in any of my classmates at the moment.

"Is this seat taken?" I heard someone ask.

I didn't look up until the person tapped me on the shoulder.

"Is this seat taken?" The person repeated.

I shrugged. "I guess if my feet count than yes."

I gestured to where they were resting atop the chair. The boy, who I recognized as Harry, laughed.

"Anyways," I said. "shouldn't you be sitting with Ron or Draco?"

He shook his head. After that I removed me feet and he sat.

"So, I know you're behind tonight." He whispered as class started.

"Behind what? Me?" I asked pretending to be outraged.

"Yes, the whole school knows it too." He whispered under his breath.

"Well, that's too bad." I shrugged.

X0x0x0x0x0x0x0x0x0x0x0x0x

By the time the meeting came, I was ready. Like I had planned I wore the black dress along with the necklace with the matching black flats. I put on my bravest face and hurried to the Great Hall, where I waited behind the podium. As soon as the last student was seated I began to speak.

"I know you are all wondering why you have been called here." I called out so everyone could hear me.

With all this magic they really needed microphones.

The room filled with a round of "yeses".

"So I'm going to tell you," Those words caught their attention. "I called this meeting. You see, I have a few things to tell you."

I glared out at them.

"First of all, I was asked to come here by your lovely Headmistress." (It always helped to kiss up.) "Second of all, I know I may stand out or not fit your idea of what I should be like, I will talk about that later though. Third and finally, I am hear to help you heal. This is my one and only mission."

I waited a few moments before continuing.

"I know that I seem to you like nothing but a thick-skulled, idiot American girl."

A lot of people agreed with that statement, but I refused to let it bother me.

"That image though, is not who I am. You see, there is a similarity between us all. It is that we have been through loss."

A lot of voices rose at that statement, accusing me of knowing nothing.

"I have lost much too." I snapped a little too harshly. "My mother died when I was young, I lost my best friend shortly after and later my boyfriend was deployed by the U.S. Military and reported MIA."

After those words came a few "I'm sorry" and "I didn't know" s. I chose to ignore them.

"But I got through it. I cried for them all, I worried and I became angry. Sometimes I whished of nothing more than to be dead. After all three events it had seemed I had lost my everything. Though, there was always someone who stood alongside me. Someone who was there to catch me when I fell. My father. He never let me down, and I never let him down."

I began to pull out the locket from under my dress. As I spoke I gently unclasped the chair and held it in my hand. Now, I held it up so they could all see it.

"This," I said. "was my token of hope. My father gave it to me after the death of my mother. Let me say now that this is no ordinary locket. It is a unique one, shaped they say, to fit my personality."

"It doesn't have pictures inside of it, only words. I won't read it to you because you wouldn't understand." I re-hooked the chain around my neck. "But this other one, this gold one here, has two words on it that might help you along the way. I don't know if you've ever head the term "country strong", but I have every night since the night I was born. Those two words can mean whatever you want them to, just think about them for a bit."

I paused for about a minute before surging forward.

"Now, you're probably wondering why I'm telling you this. I'm telling you because we all, each and every one of us here, must learn to be country strong. In order for this wizarding nation and this school to heal you must have faith and keep on hoping. You must never give in and even though your war is over, you must keep fighting."

There was some fidgeting along with many voices agreeing. A small smile crept onto my face.

"Now believe me when I say this. I am broken too. I have faced many hardships too. But together, as a whole, we can heal. We can help each other to heal. Look at the person next to you. Think about the way they look. Think of their background. Just because they are muggleborn, pureblood, half-blood, a squib, I don't know…just because they are not like you doesn't make you any better than them."

At that sentence many strictly pureblood wizards and witches cast their heads down but not without glaring.

"We are all different, unique, special. You will never be just like them but you shall never be better than them either. We all bleed red, there is nothing more to it."

I glared out a several students.

"Now I have only a few more things to say. One is that I know your story. I could tell it to you by heart, but not the way you know it. For I know it in a different way, as do the muggles…no don't make faces when I say that. They do, I say this to everyone who doesn't believe me, they really, truly do."

"Then prove it!" Called out the voice of none other than Draco Malfoy. "Prove that those worthless creatures know anything of us at all!"

My blood boiled at the comment.

"I will." I snapped, glaring at him coolly. "Now be quiet as I tell you. Their story is a little different but they still had heroes, traitors, dictators, all that good stuff. Their story was called World War II. It began when a man, much like your Lord Voldemort, rose to power. His name was Adolf Hitler. He believed in many ideas that are truly and morally wrong. He discriminated against Jews because of their religion. He put innocent people into Concentration Camps, working them to death while barely giving them any food and water at all. He tore families apart, separating men and women only to die. He never gave young and innocent children the chance to live. The Nazis, his followers, gassed, burned, and killed people in many cruel ways. The Allied Powers, as they came to be called, fought him and the countries that were allies. It was a long and bloody war, many lives were lost."

"Sounds a bit like your own, doesn't it? So now I dare you to say that muggles know nothing of what you have gone through. They do. I do. Now you, like they did, must take your world to the next step. You must guide them on so maybe the scars of this all will heal. They can't do it without you, every single one of you. So now, whether you are on board the train or not, it's going to leave the station. The past has happened, it's gone, now you all must focus on the future. That is where you must put your trust, your hope, your faith. You must believe, and you must be country strong."

"Now the last thing I need to tell you. I may seem worthless to you, I may have gotten off on the wrong foot with you and I'm sorry if I did. I'm not perfect, and I can promise you I won't ever try to be. I will not ask for your forgiveness, I don't want it. I don't want to start fresh. In all honesty, I don't want to be here. It is not because of you, but it is because of who I am. I left behind my life to be here and all I want is to be home. For everything to be the way it was, but for all of us it never will be. I am here to do my job, nothing more. If you need someone to talk to, I will be here. Though I cannot promise how long. I can tell you I do not plan on staying a second longer than necessary. Now, I shall bid you all good night for I have nothing more to say to any of you."

With that I turned, spinning on my heel, and waltzed out the door.


	5. Field of Dreams

**Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who has subscribed and to everyone who has reviewed. It means a lot.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.**

Draco: 

I sat in the Great Hall with the rest of the students. Even though Vienna had just left the assembly nobody had dared to move. Their was a slight chatter and things like;

"Wow…"

And

"Huh?…"

And

"That was amazing…"

And

"That was so stupid…"

We're coming out of people's mouths. I for one, was not talking.

"Draco, I just asked you a question." Pansy snapped annoyed.

"What?" I asked shortly not really paying attention.

"Wasn't that stupid?" She asked smiling, it made me sick.

"No, actually I quite liked it."

The smile dropped off her face like an obedient dog drops a ball. It was highly amusing.

"Well of course I liked it." Pansy said sitting back in her chair and rolling her eyes.

"Think for yourself for once Pansy." I snapped before making my way out of the Great Hall.

I didn't know where I was going until I found myself face to face with Vienna."

"Draco?" She asked trying to hide her face. I could tell she had been crying.

Vienna: 

"Why are you crying?" Draco asked his voice soft and gentle.

"I'm not." I said trying to turn away once more.

He grabbed my arm before I could escape.

"Tell me. If it's about the speech I can't even to begin to tell you how beautiful that was. Amazing."

"It's not about the speech." I sniffled.

"Then what's it about?"

"So much has happened to me and I don't…I don't know if I can do this…help you all. It might be best if I just go home and someone else takes my place."

"That wouldn't be good for any of us, Vienna."

"You really believe that?" I asked feeling as small and as weak as a child.

"Come with me." He begged taking my hand and leading me up several flights of stairs until we came to a wall.

Draco closed his eyes and seemed to be thinking hard. It didn't take long for a door to appear where plain wall had been.

"Wh-what?" I asked stupidly as he led me inside.

When I walked in it was the most amazing sight I had ever seen. All around me stretched grape vines and country land. It was like being at home once more. I looked at him curiously.

"How-"

"Magic." He grinned stupidly.

I laughed a bit before letting go of his hand and roaming through the field. I touched every grape within reached and took of my flats, letting my toes sink into the earthen ground. A few minutes later I looked back in his direction. Draco was watching me with a wide smile on his face. I laughed.

"It's beautiful." I told him sincerely.

He just kept watching me.

"Come on!" I called running deeper into the field.

I could hear thunderous foot steps behind me as I ran. A few seconds later Draco came bowling into me, knocking me to the ground. I just laughed. Lying on the ground next to me he rolled over and helped me to my feet. We stood facing each other.

"Friends?" He asked.

"Friends." I repeated forcefully.

Then I turned and ran deeper into the field still hearing those thunderous footsteps behind me.

**Merry Christmas to you all and a Happy New Year in case I don't update until then!**


	6. Fuel to the Fire

Sorry for the long time without updating. I was very busy and had some writer's block. Great predicament I know. But here you go, enjoy it or not it's for you.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

It was the best laugh I'd had in a while. The most fun too. Though as time past I was reminded of Miles, he was still gone. Maybe gone in the way of never returning. It hurt so much to think of it, but being in those fields hit so close to home. It brought all the memories I had locked away flooding back. My mother most of all. She loved our farmland. The rolling hills, the vines, the trees, the entire place. When she died it was hard on everyone. So many people attended her funeral. She had touched so many lives and it was a shocker to everyone. She was killed by a bear, no one understood it.

I didn't live in fear though. I didn't shut out the subject of my mother and neither did my father. We talked about her almost every day, through the tears and the laughter. It healed us, and I never really felt like she left me. She was always there, somewhere, guiding me along. I missed her terribly and wished she would one day come back. But I knew that wasn't going to happen. So I kept moving forward, because I knew she wouldn't have wanted me to dwell on things I couldn't control. She wasn't like that, her past hadn't been a crystal walkway either but she never dwelled on it. She was happy about the life she got to lead, even if the way she got there wasn't great.

That was what my father loved most about her. About me too. He said we were a lot alike, I thought that too. When she was young her mother had teased her about being "a bullet" just like my father teased me. She was like that in a different way though. She was never cold or impassive like I was, those traits came from my father. No, she was always warm and welcoming. Her kind smile and bell-like laugh were enough to lodge herself into your heart without you knowing what was happening.

From when I could first remember to the day she died she'd always called me "spitfire". My father never liked the name and tried to convince her to stop but she never would. People always said her only flaw was her stubbornness. That was true, she could be stubborn when she wanted to. She never really took no for an answer and could put up a good fight if need be. She always fought about calling me "spitfire".

It was what my best friend had always called me too. She'd laugh about the name and tell me how it was perfect. In a way, it was. When my mother passed away I had told her to stop calling me that. It hurt too much, I had said. But my best friend was stubborn too.

"Vienna," She had said. "I know you miss her. I miss her too. You said yourself you don't want to forgot. What better way to remember than to keep her nickname for you?"

That girl was always right, most of the time it infuriated me. But I knew she was just trying to help, and she did. But then I lost her too, and that hurt almost as much. We were both the only children in our families, the closest to sisters anyone could be without the blood-relation. Our parents were close too and they treated us as if we were both their children. We were even closer after my mother's death but then she died too. Her parents moved away, they didn't want to face the memories. So they left. My father said that everyone has their own way of healing. Some stronger than others. They needed to get away, not to forgot but only to dull the pain. I never thought less of them for it either.

Then there was Miles. My crazy boyfriend who could never turn down an even crazier dare. Who loved to be the life of the party. He was just as stubborn, outgoing, and patriotic as I was. He could be cold and impassive but I, unlike most people, only ever saw his softer side. All Miles had ever wanted to do was fly and fight. He always told me he didn't want to be a hero but he couldn't sit on the sidelines either. Now he was missing and there was the chance that he may never come home again. At least, not alive that is.

People always said that we were a match made in heaven. I don't know when, but at some point I actually started to believe that too. In a way, I couldn't imagine my life without him. He'd always been there, through the good and the bad times. We'd grown up together and losing him was like losing part of your life, your childhood. Just before he'd left he'd given me a bracelet that had a heart on it. I remember that day clearly.

"_Open it." He had almost begged me._

"_Miles you really didn't have to do this!" I exclaimed as I began to._

"_Yes I did. This is war, Vienna, you never know what could happen." He'd told me._

_I looked at him as I carefully opened the box. Inside was a silver bracelet, dangling from it was a very colorful heart. _

"_Open the heart." He ordered._

_I smiled as I saw what was inside. On the left was a photo of the two of us. He was dressed in his uniform, it had to be the first time he'd worn it. I looked tiny next to his muscular build in my little flip flops, short shorts, and t-shirt. I still wore the bullet locket but I had on the earrings he'd given me. The little American flags. It was his way of saying "country strong" he'd told me. I loved them. On the right side of the locket the words "I Love You-Miles" were engraved. _

_I'd smiled at him happily. "It's wonderful." Was all I could tell him._

"_I'm happy you like it." He said smiling back._

"_Here, help me put it on." I said handing it to him and holding out my wrist._

_He chuckled and quickly snapped it on. _

I remember the day he left almost too clearly. I had tackled him into a bear hug.

"_Promise me something," I ordered._

"_Promise you what?" He asked._

"_Promise me you'll come home, safe." I practically begged. I didn't care though. He was the only one I allowed to see my weaker side. _

"_You know I can't promise that." Was his response._

"_Why not?" I asked furious. Just like him to ruin the moment._

"_Country first," He murmured so no one else could hear._

"_Country strong." I had finished. He'd been telling me that since he enlisted. _

"_Remember that, Spitfire. That and the fact that I love you." Those were his parting words for me._

"_I love you too." I'd replied._

_Then he kissed me. But the kiss ended all too soon as he left quickly. I knew that in a way he was separating himself from me, thinking that he was protecting me by pulling away. _

_Damn him and his stubbornness. I didn't need any protection._

He always had to be different. When everyone else called me Vienna when they were being serious and Spitfire when they weren't he switched it. Calling me Spitfire when he was serious and Vienna when he wasn't. I missed him so much it hurt. I was proud of him though. I knew he wouldn't give up easily or quickly, wherever he was he had to be alive. I just knew it.

Those thoughts quickly led me to my dad. He could be so cold and impassive, but he was never like that towards me or my mother. With us he was different, in a good way. Most people would probably think the words he told me every night would have gotten old by now, but they didn't. The words were like fuel to a fire, the fire that kept me going.

We'd never had much. Sure we got by and got by fine but we weren't rich or even close to it. That was the way my father liked it. When my mother was alive she liked it that way too. I didn't care. I had what I needed and that was enough. Enough for all of us. My father always told me the finer things in life you had to work for. They weren't worth it if they were handed to you on a silver platter. He was a very down to earth person and I liked that. He didn't dream too big or shoot too high and that was fine. He loved what he did and the life that he led. I always knew I was lucky to have him for a dad. I was lucky to have everyone who had passed in and out of my life, or who stayed. Fate may not have dealt me the best hand but I couldn't say it dealt me the worst either.

So that was where Draco found me, sitting alone in the field with my arms wrapped around my legs. I was rocking myself back and forth staring out into the fields, lost in my own memories. After he'd tackled me he'd ran and when I stopped chasing him and he couldn't find me he had became worried.

"Are you okay?" He asked me.

"Sorry about that." I apologized. "I just got lost in thought."

I picked myself up off the ground and quickly brushed off my clothing.

"It's fine." He replied quickly. "I probably shouldn't ask what you were thinking about."

"My life, and the people I've lost." I told him carefully about all my memories. "I guess being at a place so like home just brought them all flooding back."

"I'm sorry, my mistake…" He started.

"No!" I stopped him quickly. "I can deal. The memories, they help. I don't want to forget, you know?"

"No, I don't actually. I did some things during the war I only wish I could forget." Was his reply.

"I think," I said carefully. "that it's better to face the memories but not to dwell on the past. If you try to forget it just hurts worse. But facing it…heals you somehow."

"I don't think I understand." I could hear the pain in his voice.

"I don't expect you to." I said honestly. "But it gave me an idea."

"Not another meeting?" He groaned.

"I don't know. Maybe you should stop adding fuel to the fire." I joked before sprinting away.


	7. Miles

Author's note: I feel so bad I haven't been updating any of my stories! I'll try to promise weekly updates for all of them for here on out!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

I pushed open the door heading back to my room with Draco at my side. We stopped outside my door. I really didn't know what to say.

"Thanks…thanks for tonight." I smiled.

"It was fun." Draco smiled back.

"Well, good night." I said before whispering the password and stepping through the portrait.

"Good night." I heard him say as it swung shut.

I collapsed onto my bed staring at the ceiling. Just as I was drifting off to sleep I heard a tapping noise on my window. It was Chelsea's owl. The letter, how could I have forgotten? I'd complete forgotten that Chelsea said she'd send it. I opened the window with shaking hands and watched as the little thing hopped inside before sticking out it's leg.

"Hey, Chippers." I giggled at the name Chelsea given her when they were so much younger.

I slowly untied the letter from Chippers' leg. Grabbing a treat off my dresser I absentmindedly fed it to Chippers, who quickly flew to the owl post to rest as I carried the letter to my bed and ripped it open.

_Dearest Vienna,_

_If you're reading this then something's happened to me. I really hope you never have to read this, but if you do well then, I'm so sorry. First off, I want to tell you that I love you. I've always loved you. You're the most amazing person in the world and the only person I can ever imagine being with. I know I'm calling you by your real name in this letter but you'll always be my little Spitfire. _

_Now what I want to talk to you about is harder than I ever imagined it would be. It's hard to write, even though I don't know for certain that you'll ever read this. I want you to move on, I don't want you to ruin your life mourning for me. Nothing makes me happier than you being happy. So please, don't worry about me. Wherever I am, I still love you and I still want to see you happy. Find a guy you love, even if you love him more than me, and settle down. Have a few kids, live a long happy life, and I'll see you again one day. _

_I love you will all my heart, Spitfire,_

_~Miles._

I couldn't help the tears that came like crazy. It was just like him, this letter in a way, _was _him.

"No Miles," I choked out. "I'm not moving on because you're coming home. You're coming home, you hear me?"

I cried myself to sleep that night and when I woke up I was still clutching the letter for dead life. I quickly folded it up before placing it in the picture frame behind the picture of the two of us sitting in my father's vineyards. Smiling at the camera without a care in the world. How long ago that was. I got ready in a daze and found myself stumbling into the Great Hall, avoiding everyone's eyes. Draco looked at me concerned.

"Something happen?" He asked me as I sat down. His best friend Blaise looked at me curiously.

"Have you been crying?" He asked me.

I didn't respond to either of them, choosing to eat my meal in silence before stumbling out of the Great Hall. I felt like I did the first time I got a hangover, only I knew I didn't drink last night. I pulled out my cell phone and dialed the number before I knew what I was doing.

"Vienna, is that you?" My father's concerned voice drifted over the line and I burst into tears.

"Daddy," I sobbed. "He's MIA."

"I know, Spitfire. I know."

"I just…I just don't know what to do!" I wailed.

"It's all going to be alright, I promise."

"How do you know?"

"I just know, baby girl, I just know."

After speaking with my Dad I felt slightly more in control of my emotions than I had before. It was still tough getting through the day and when I returned to my room I was an emotional wreck all over again.

"I can't do this."

"Can't do what?" A voice said from the doorway.

I looked up to see Draco standing there.

"This, I can't help you guys, I can't. I'm too broken to be of any good."

"That's not true."

"Draco, you'll never understand. Everyone I ever get close to, I lose."

"That's not true."

"How would you know?"

Silence.

"You don't, exactly. Somebody else should just take my place already. Anyone else would do a better job."

"Now _that _is just not true. Nobody else has the strength to deal with us like you do. Nobody else would even know where to begin with us, but you've already started something. I don't know what…but it's _something._"

"Thanks Draco."

"Anytime."

Then he was gone.

The heels I was wearing clacked against the marble floor as I made my way to the podium once again. I took a deep breath, trying to collect my thoughts.

"You guys already know my story. But do you know how I coped with everything after it happened?" I asked them. They shook their heads in response. "I didn't push the memories to the back of my mind, I didn't shut out everything that had happened. I remembered, I cried, I laughed. Sometimes it hurt so bad I thought I wasn't going to be able to take it anymore. But I got through it because instead of trying to forget them, the people I lost, I remembered them. I left myself feel the emotions that I needed to feel and it's hard at first, real hard, but it's better than just pushing those memories aside. I can talk about my mother now, without bursting into tears. I can laugh at all the funny memories of my best friend without sobbing. I can do it, I can move on but they're still there with me because I have the memories. Not as many as I wish I have but enough, enough that I know that they're always with me, standing by me. Cheering me on, crying with me, sharing my pain with me. So please, don't bury your feelings, don't push aside the memories. It just makes it hurt worse."

I looked around the room then and I saw him…there he was.

"Miles." I choked out. Then I ran at him and hugged him. He was real, he was there.


End file.
